The Story of the Assassin
by Master Solitarius
Summary: This is a side story to The Child of War for Mount & Blade. It describes a short part of Riheth's life to give the reader an idea of who he was. This is also a One Shot.


_There he is. My prey! _ Slowly I walked over to him, my dagger hidden from the people around me. They had no idea of who I was or why I was here. I tapped him on the shoulder. He looked at me, confused, as he did not know me. I whispered in his ear. "Forgive me." As he was to ask why he should forgive me, I slowly stuck my dagger in his chest. The steel buried in between the ribs, right through the heart.

I saw the life disappear from his eyes and I sheathed my dagger again and silently moved away. I heard a loud thump, screams and whispering, but I moved on. Nobody had seen me. My hideout was nearby. I opened the door and went inside. _My client will be pleased with the result_. I couldn't help but smirk. People might not approve of my 'career', but I am the best. Even Kings and Lords feared me. They feared me, Riheth, the Shadow.

I fell into a deep slumber, as my victims returned to me in my sleep. I counted every one of them and paid my respect. Most of the times the people I killed, no, the people whose lives I had taken where criminals. I felt no guilt when taking their lives. But occasionally, a good man or woman appeared on my list, having done nothing but anger the wrong person. I did my job regardless of personal feelings, but I always paid my respect for them afterwards.

This person was not the same. He was a coward that had sold out his village to save his own life. He had killed his own brother to get away, but did not see his sister who had witnessed the act. She contacted me as soon as she got to safety, begging me to bring justice. _Justice…_ She couldn't pay very well, but I accepted the job anyways. What I do is more than just a way to earn money. It is a way to bring justice when the authorities refuse to do so.

Leaving my thoughts on the matter and the hideout behind me, I quickly get on top of a horse, strong and noble, as we both set out to the hills past the horizons. We move quickly towards the city nearby, where my contract will end. The city is majestic. Battle hardened warriors stand everywhere, looking out for any possible threat. I approached the house where my contact awaited me. It was a dark room, the air thick.

"Welcome Riheth. Here." I heard the sound of a bag filled with money and caught it. Dark or not, I still had my other instincts to rely on. The bag had quite some weight on it. It was a valuable target. "Riheth, I have another job for you". I couldn't help but wonder who my next target should be. "Your target is Achaenas. I'm willing to pay very well for his head. I recognized the voice. It was a Lord that wanted him death. _Achaenas? Yes, I have heard of him. The enemy of all bandits. _

"Very well. I shall return to you in two weeks." I left the building and looked at the bag of money I was holding. _This won't be easy. I'd better buy some better equipment._ I had bought black light armour, allowing myself to make less sound than the wind. I also purchased a longer, but thinner dagger, so that I could reach from a distance. The odds seemed to be in my favour. I walked to my horse, confident, and went on my way to the last location he was supposed to be at.

The road was long and my mind was filled with thoughts. Not only on the current mission, but on the past ones as well. It was not uncommon for me to be sent after political enemies. Leaders that seemed to grow too powerful, corrupt Lords negotiating with their enemies, they all fell to my blade one after another. _Reminds me of Lord Veerkonen_. A brave general that had set out on an exodus with almost a thousand people at his side.

Ready to move beyond Calradia's borders, to search for new unknown lands. _He tried not to change his world, but instead find a new one. _On the fifth day of their march, I made my move as I made my way past the villages and soldiers, right into his tent. Yet as my dagger stabbed into his body, I saw no fear in his eyes. No sadness or pain. It was perhaps the only time I had truly felt remorse about my actions.

The march quickly fell apart afterwards. Soldiers ended up in mercenary bands whilst most villagers were enslaved or killed by bandits. Few had returned to their homes. All because of a totalitarian king that wanted to dominate everyone. _Ironic that I was paid to kill him two years later._ In the distance I saw the camp and quickly closed off my thoughts again. I wasn't expecting this to be easy so I had to be focused at all times.

I watched the camp from a distance as I saw patrols. As days past, I stalked them, carefully, not being seen. It didn't take long for me to figure out their routines and blend in. It was night as I snuck past tents. The patrols weren't hard to evade. They made enough noise to hear them from a distance. As I moved deeper to the heart of the village, I witnessed three peasant spearmen. They stood nervously on guard, looking around them.

"Look at the arrogance displayed by this filth. Mere peasants and deserts should not carry such pride." My arrogance was growing. When I was finished with their general, they will fall again to bandits. If only they had stayed home. I approached the tent. Security was tighter with more patrols and soldiers standing guard. _The Goddess of Fortune must have blessed me_. I thought to myself as I saw no soldiers nearby.

"The child believes to be safe" To leave such a gap was to invite an assassin. Yet it felt all too easy. There shouldn't be such a gap in security, especially not near the heart of the camp. As I looked around carefully, I finally saw what had truly happened. Soldiers had hidden around various places, most likely expecting an assassin. "Blessed I am, I praise you, oh Mighty Ones". I gently whispered to myself.

I snuck closer to one of the nearby soldiers carefully. These men were considered unclean. Nobody would care about their lives. As I prepared to let my blade taste the blood and flesh of the farmer, I suddenly felt a blade at my own throat. _Interesting…_ I couldn't help but wonder if this was the end for me. But perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. Strange as it would sound, I felt happy about being caught. And the thought of eternal peace was comforting.

As he was dragged in the tent, a smile appeared on his face when he saw Achaenas. _So that is the famous Achaenas?_


End file.
